Ring



Patented June 25, 1929.

' UNITED STATES HENRY E. MUCHNIC, OF ATCHISON, KANSAS.

RING.

Application led October 10, 1927. Serial No. 225,051.

My invention relates to a sectional packing ring or sectional piston ring which is adapted to be placed in the grooves of a piston and more particularly of the type employed with the steam cylinders of a locomotive; the ring being composed of a plurality of segmental sections which are distensively held in position against the wall of the cylinder to compensate for any wear that may occur.

My invention involves the provision of distending or separator` means for the ring sections so associated therewith that the rings will also' function as means adapted to carry the weight of the piston in a horizontally disposed cylinder.

My invention also has for its 'object the provision of means whereby possibility of leakage between the respective ring sections is prevented and as a result the building up of steam pressure rearward of or beneath the rings is made impossible and thelife of the ring therefore greatly enhanced.

A further object of my invention is to provide a ring of segmental elements wherein the accummulation of the spacing or gaps between the various segments at any one point on the upper side of a vertically disposed ring will be impossible; the gaps or spacing being more or less uniformly distributed throughout the ring between the various sections thereof.

The above enumerated objects and advantages, as well as other advantages inherent in the constructions, will all be readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, with portions broken away and shown in section, illustrating one form of my invention-applied to a piston.

Figure 2 isa sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1. l

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an end of one segment of the ring.

Figure 4 is an elevation of a portion of piston and the adjacent ends of two sections of one part of a ring, illustrating a'moditication.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an elevation of the adjacent ends of two segments of ring, with parts of the ring segments and the piston shown in section. illustrating another modification. Y

Figure 7 is across-section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a.

further modification of the type of ring illustrated in Figure 6.

In the exemplification of the invention as disclosed in the first three figures of the drawing, a piston is shown in part at 15, provided with a pair of peripheral grooves 16, 16, in lateral spaced relation to permit the use of a. plurality of rings shown 'arranged in pairs. These rings, which are expansibly held inv their respective grooves, and are substantially identical in construction, are each composed of two sets of segmental sections 17 and 18; the one set being staggered with respect to the other so that the junctures between the respective segmental sections of one set'will not register with the junctures between the sections of the other set, as shown at 19 in Figure 1. The various segmental sections are arranged as shown so as not to provide a continuous radial passage; the object being to prevent leakage of steam through the composlte rings.

Eacli segmental section 17 and 18 on what may be termed the outer side, is shown provided with a peripheral flange 20 adaptedto lap the circumferential radially disposed outer flanges 21 and the intermediate lange 22 0n the periphery of the piston.

The abutting longitudinal faces of the seg- 1 and 3 are each provided with a groove 23 extending from end to end. The grooves 23 in the sections 17 and 18, when said sections are properly assembled to constitute a ring, form a continuous recess intermediate of the two halves of each ring to receive the holding and expanding element or split ring 24 which extends almost continuously throughout as shown at the broken away portion in Figure 1, where one end of the ring 24 is provided with the transversely disposed head portion 25, which is seated in a socket which intersects the recess 23. The construction of the recess 23 with the socket and the construction of the expanding element 24 are substantially similar to said constructions as disclosed in my former Patent #1,572,443 of February 9th, 1926, so that further detailed description need not be entered into.

, One object ofy my present invention 1s to provide the sectional piston rmg with means adapted'to seal the junctures between the respective sections of a ring, without vin any way interfering with the expandln action of the ring in accommodatin walls of the cylinder when t ng up wear;

mental sections of the ring shown in Figures -5 itsel to the between the respective ring sections and greater than an accumulated sible.

The tongue 26 is of width substantially equal to the width of the main body portion of the ring intermediate of the recess forming gap if such were posgroove 23 and the outer periphery thereof, in

order to fully bridge the space between the side walls of the groove in the piston in which the ring or rings are located.

I prefer to provide a tongue 26 at the abutting or juxtaposed ends of the respective ring sections with one end of the strip or tongue 26 immovably secured in the end of one section. The end of the tongue or strip 26 may be doweled, brazed or otherwise immovably secured in place so as to have it extend longitudinally beyond the end of the section to which it is secured, as shown in Figure 3; the strip or tongue being disposed in a plane substantially parallel with the outer perimeter of the section at its immediate end. The adjacent end of the next section of the ring is provided with a slot 27 extending longitudinally intermediate of the expanding ring receiving groove 23 and the outer periphery of the composite ring; the slot approximating the thickness of the tongue 26 so as to provide a comparatively snug fitting relation, while at the same time giving sufficient freedom for the respective sections to move in a diverging radial direction through the action of the expanding element or separator means. In view of the arc described by each ring section and the fact that the tongue is preferably shown extending in a flat plane, the slot 27 is shown sloping slightly upward toward the outer periphery of the section and at the inner end of the slot, as shown in Figure 2.

Where the type of expanding means shown in Figure 1is employed, it is preferable to use a gap tongue between the respective sections; with the tongues of width substantially equal to the thickness of the main body portion of the ring sections in order to fully close olf the gap or gaps between the walls of the ring receiving groove in the piston and the contiguous half of the ring and which occurs when the respective sections become spaced apart through the action of the expanding means when the walls of the cylinder or outer periphery of the ring become Worn. I

With my improved means all possibility of leakage orpassage of steam between the respective ring sections is eliminated. In rings of this nature it is quite important to prevent steam finding its way toward the inner perimeter of the ring where its action would be to force the ring sections outwardly, thereby improperly accentuating the outward pressure and causing undue wear.

In Figures 4 and 5 I show the application of my improved gap stop or tongue applied to a piston 28 adapted to receive a ring composed of two circumferential halves; each consisting of the contiguous portions 29, 30 composed of segmental sections as previously described; provided with the laterally disposed circumferential flanges 2O and with their contiguous faces provided with the grooves 23 adapted to receive the expanding element 24.

In order that the gap bridging means or tongue may be disposed or at all times extend into a plane beneath the tops or outer perimeters of the groove forming walls of the piston, I show the tongue 31 arranged at an angle to the transverse axis; the tongue 31 at one side being arranged slightly above the groove 23 on the inner face of the ring, while the other longitudinal side is disposed in a plane beneath that of the upper side of the groove 23. That is to say, the tongue 31 slopes downwardly toward what may be called the outer face of the ring sections. tongue 26, is preferably securely fastened 'at one end in the end of one ring segment, while the adjacent end of the other ring segment is provided with a slot 32 which also slopes downwardly toward the outer face of the segment at a similar angle to the horizontal axis, see Figure Ll; the tongue 31 having a fairly snug sliding fit in the slot 32.

Itis understood, of course, that where the composite ring consists of two parallel portions or circumferential halves, that the gaps between the segments of both halves are preferably provided with similar tongues or gap bridging means.

f In Figures 6 and 7 I show a modified form of holding and separating means or spreaders in the nature of a coil spring 33, instead of the split ring 24. With this construction the adjacent ends of the segments 34 and 35 are bored longitudinally adjacent to the inner perimeters of the segments and preferably in a substantially straight line as shown in Figure 6 and toa sufficient depth to receive the ends of the coil rspring 33. One end of the coil spring is preferably held in place in any suitable manner, as'for example by the pin 36, which may be driven through a small hole drilled from the inner perimeter of one of the segments s as to intersect the coil receiving socket.

As the coils 33 may be of relatively small diameter, it is apparent that the gap bridging means or tongues 26 may be located nearer to the inner perimeters of the segments than in the constructions shown in the previous figures.

lThis tongue 31, like` The ring segments 34, 35, like segments 29, 30 in Figure 5, are shown provided with the. laterally disposed circumferential flanges 20 adapted to lap or extend across the outer periphery of the piston 28.

In Figure 8 I show the application of my invention to a piston or packing ring composed of segments 37, 3S, rectangular'in crosssection, namely without the circumferential flanges, and located in the peripheral groove formed in the piston, only a portion whereof is shown at28.

The segments 37, 38, like the previously shown segments, may all be of equal length and assembled so as to position the various junctures between abutting segments at different non-registering places throughout the circumference of the rings.

The adjacent ends of the respective segments, like those in Figures 6 and 7 are drilled longitudinally to a predetermined extent adjacent to the inner perimeters thereof to receive the ends of the coil spring or separator 33. The segments are also provided with the gap bridging means or tongue 26 located immediately above the spring socket, with one end of the tongue preferably immovably secured in one segment and having a sliding or yielding fit in the adjacent segment.

lVhere the packing comprises a plurality of rings or circumferential halves as shown in the drawing, one segment of each ring or half is riveted or otherwise secured to the lapping segment as shown at 39, so as to lock the rings or halves together and also properly correlate the respective segments to prevent registration ofthe various joints in the adjacent rings or halves. That is to say, two lapping segments are riveted or doweled together in staggered relation,thus causing the junctures between the segments of one ring or one half 'A to be out of register with those of the adjacent ring or lapping half and rotation or shifting of one ring or half relative-to the other ring or half will be impossible.

It is obvious that my invention may be applied to any type of packing ring or piston ring composed of a plurality of segments; and that instead of providing 'the separator means 33 between each segment, it may be found suliicient for certain purposes to locate the separator means between alternate segments; the tension of the coils 33 being made in keeping with the uses for vwhich the rings are intended.

In assembling the respective ring segments, it will be understood that the relation between the length .of springs and the depth or length of the sockets for the springs is such that the springs will normally be under compression to constantly exert a separating pressure of a predetermined degree to maintain the outerperimeter of the rin in close contact with the walls of the cylin er.

It is also apparent that my improved sepaelements will prevent passage of steam beneath the segments and consequently eliminate undue wear of the segments, which otherwise would result from the pressure of the steam underneath the segments forcing the segments outwardly.

The exemplifications of the invention are believed to be the best embodiments thereof, butumodilications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. In combination with a piston having a groove in its outer periphery, a ring adapted to be seated in said groove, said ring being composed of segmental sections arranged in end to end relation, the ends of said sections having sockets and slots arranged lengthwise of the sections intermediate of the inner and outer perimeters at points below the outer periphery of the piston when the ring is at its maximum degree of expansion, with the socket-s arranged between the slots and the inner perimeter of the sections, expansion means located in the sockets of opposing ends of two sections, and a gap closure means extending throughout the width of the sections and of dimensions less than said slots so as t0 permit free movement of the gap closure means during relative movement of the ring sections.`

2. A ring of the character described adapted to be seated vin a groove, said ring being composed of segmental sections arranged in end to end relation, theends of the sections lhaving sockets and slots extending lengthwise of the sections intermediate of the inner and outer perimeters with the vsockets arranged below the slotsadjacent to the inner perimeters of the sections, expansion means located in the sockets of opposing ends of two sections, and gap closure means extending throughout the width of the sections and of dimensions less than the dimensions of said slots so as to permit free movement of the gap closure means during relative movement of the ring sections. y

3. In combination with a piston, a plurality of segmental sections held in loose radially movable relation on the perimeter of the piston, said sections being .arranged end to end and in parallel lapping relation, and gap closure means at the ends of the sectionssaid means extending from side to side of the sections in adownwardly sloping manner toward slots, and tongues, of width equal to that of the outer sides of said sections. the body portions of the sections, the ends 1o 4. In combination with a piston, apluralit-y of the tongues entering the slots in the adof segmental sections held in loose radially jacent ends of sections, said slots and tongues 5 movable relation on the perimeter of the pisbeing disposed downwardly toward the outer ton, said sections being arranged end t0 end side faces of the sections. and in parallel lapping relation, the ends of the sections having transverse registering HENRY E. MUCHNIC. 

